Bush Faults Kerry Over Iraq; Kerry Pivots To Economy

[KittyWampus]

Please read final paragraph for the "pay-off".

snip

Kerry... said in the debate that Bush made a ``colossal'' error by failing to exhaust other options before waging war. Campaigning in Florida today, Kerry... shifted his focus to Bush's stewardship of the economy as he prepares for the next debate Oct. 8 in St. Louis.

Kerry said Bush's tax cuts shortchanged programs to protect the U.S. from terrorist attacks. ``He says I don't know
how you're going to pay for all that,'' Kerry told a rally in Tampa. ``This is from a president who created a tax gap
by providing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans instead of investing in homeland security.''

snip

... Kerry won last night's debate by as much as 16 percentage points.

snipping out of glowing poll numbers for Kerry

Bush isn't used to such encounters because ``with the exception of one or two press conferences over the last year he hasn't faced tough questions from a skeptical person,'' Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart said. ``He never sees anybody but handpicked Republican supporters. That eventually takes a toll. He is insulated.''

Bush's ``constant smirking'' during the debate reflected ``frustration and I guess petulance that somehow, someone would dare to challenge his record,'' Lockhart said.

snip

Bush, in his Allentown speech, said ``the use of troops to defend America must never be subject to a veto by countries like France.'' France opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

A day after criticizing Kerry's comments about allies, Bush ``goes out and ridicules an important ally, a member of NATO, a country that has stood with us on many issues,'' Lockhart told reporters during a conference call. The comment shows the president ``has got his own problems,'' Lockhart said.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=a8tKrfh0PqqQ&refer=us

[MichiganVote]

1. Keep the bastards guessing

[clydefrand]

2. He was trying to frame the best response he could....

You see it in PRINT...he was trying and that was his best??????????? Well, guess we don't have to worry about it getting any better then!!



"Bush's advisers said they didn't notice any smirking. Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican who campaigned with Bush in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire today, said he ``realizes that perhaps there was an irritability factor displayed there, but I don't think he felt irritated, I think he was concentrating and trying to frame the best response he could.'' ""

Advisers didn't notice any smirking???? Lordy, Lordy, they all had their heads covered in embarrassment...saying "All that coaching we did, didn't help a bit.!"

[joanne]

3. I am SO SICK of Dumbya tying Iraq to 9/11

His own hand picked commission said there is NO CONNECTION!!!!!!

And I am equally SICK of his bashing France all the time.

Dumbya has GOT TO GO!!!!!!

[Gloria]

4. Glad to see the tax cut/insecurity link picked up in this article!

Kerry said Bush's tax cuts shortchanged programs to protect the U.S. from terrorist attacks. ``He says I don't know
how you're going to pay for all that,'' Kerry told a rally in Tampa. ``This is from a president who created a tax gap
by providing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans instead of investing in homeland security.''
*********

This is exactly the part that perked up my ears and which I posted about earlier in a thread that died.

I hope this becomes a key part of the debate on domestic issues...it's such a great way to tie it all together/keep pounding Bush on foreign policy blunders.